Dad and Aunt Gu's second day of marriage, the bright red "double happiness" character had not been taken down yet, when Brother's grandfather rode his bicycle into town in a hurry.

He stopped the bike, hands on his hips, shouting loudly towards the building.

He even brought a big horn used for selling vegetables.

From the misty morning until the rising sun, the crowd at the intersection caused a traffic jam, pushing and shoving.

The traffic police appeared after a long absence, blowing their whistles loudly.

Women on both sides of the street had been picking vegetables at their doorsteps all morning, their eyes fixed on our doorstep without blinking.

Some busybodies, not sure if they were really shopping or just pretending, also joined in the commotion.

Dad and Aunt Gu didn't dare to come downstairs all day.

In the town, rumors spread like sewage in the streets, dirty and flowing everywhere.

When Aunt Gu went out, she was met with whispers and cold glances.

They didn't dare to return to their hometown, Dad sold his business and followed her.

Three months later, Dad quietly returned with a suitcase.

He came back and used the remaining money to buy me an expensive down jacket.

Although sometimes Dad's love was like a faulty light bulb, flickering on and off, overall, he took on the responsibility of being a father and was considered a gentle father.

Before, when he went out to deliver goods in the fall, he always brought roasted chestnuts for me; when my exam grades were poor, he would pat his chest and say, "Dad has money, even the most expensive school fees can be paid"; he never read books himself, but often carried a whole box back from the Xinhua Bookstore in the city for Brother...

Mom told me not to be angry with Dad, even though she hated him to death.

One day, Dad started talking to me.

He used to disdain talking to me about adult matters. I remember that day, he coldly said in public, "What's the matter with you?"

Now, he was truly old.

I perked up my ears.

It turned out that in the city where Aunt Gu lived, Dad, without an education and middle-aged, could only find a job as a security guard.

His monthly salary was only three thousand, and he wanted to give each of us a thousand, even though Brother never touched the money in that account.

They started arguing, the suppressed contradictions erupting after being held in for too long.

Aunt Gu said, "You still think about your children after all, earning only three thousand a month, daring to buy your daughter a thousand-dollar down jacket."

What she particularly resented was Dad's statement that in the future, her house could be used as a bridal chamber for Brother.

She painfully shouted at him, "Lin Sizhe is your son, not mine! Why should you leave all the money to them, live in my house, and still think about giving it to your son in the future?"

Dad sighed helplessly, "I was just talking, just to make your brother hate us a little less, besides, she doesn't have children. You make it sound like I'm coveting her property, I was doing well in business, people on the street would shout 'Boss Lin' when they saw me, all for her, at my age, I have to smile and greet people like a grandson, it's so frustrating."

He took a big gulp of wine.

Seeing me lost in thought, Dad pouted, complaining, "You don't understand my pain at all, you're too young."

I chuckled silently, normal people wouldn't seek understanding from their teenage daughter.

He forgot what he had said years ago:

"At our age, if we were to find someone else, what feelings could there be? Without common children, it's all about money, working so hard to earn this little money..."

His words echoed in my ears.

After the twists and turns of complex human affairs, reaching middle age, counting money had become instinctual. Gu Lanlan's house didn't come easily, sandwiched between a weak husband and a harsh mother-in-law, she endured half a lifetime of suffering to exchange for that two-bedroom apartment.

Originally forced apart for money, the lovers who once hugged and cried together due to money, after many years of turmoil, hurting so many people, came back together, and the reason for separation was still money.

In the end, they couldn't transform into butterflies, their old love fell to the ground, covered in dust, and the rest of their lives would be darkly burdened.

I was still young, but in this complicated family, I matured faster than most children.

I understood a truth, there are no free lunches in this world, everything comes with a price.

Dad either had to be romantic to the end, waiting faithfully, but he also needed someone to help him with his business, help him raise children, and he yearned for the love of his children, unable to resist giving... he couldn't have it all, heaven wasn't that biased towards him.

The failure of this sunset love was destined.

After returning home, Dad resumed his old business, but doing business was like rowing against the current, new talents had long occupied his market, and a high-profile extramarital affair completely ruined his hard-earned reputation of nearly thirty years.

He fell from grace, severely weakened.